Jennifer Wivagg
Ph.D. in Learning Technologies, 2013
I began my career in education as a teacher in the small town of Oglesby, Texas where I developed an interest in the potential of technology to enhance K-12 education. To learn more about educational technology, I earned my master’s degree in this subject and began working as an Instructional Technology Specialist at the Region 12 Education Service Center. After a move to the Austin/San Antonio area, I enrolled in the doctoral program at UT. While completing my degree, I worked as an Instructional Technology Specialist at Hays CISD and as an Instructional Technology Coordinator at Comal ISD and worked with Dr. Min Liu on research related to mobile Internet devices in K-12 education.
Why UT?
I initially applied to UT because of the excellent reputation of the Learning Technologies graduate program. Once accepted, I enrolled because of the diverse and interesting course selection and because the faculty were actively involved in helping students succeed.
Life After UT
Towards the end of my doctoral program, I took a position as the Technology Integration Specialist at Keystone School. Keystone is an accelerated private school in San Antonio and my position gives me the opportunity to work with very smart and motivated students and to lead almost every aspect of instructional technology implementation.
Advice for Current Students
I have two pieces of advice. First, take advantage of opportunities to assist with teaching and research. It may seem like distracting extra work, but it adds an important dimension to the doctoral experience. Second, stay persistent. Though progress is slow at times and there are unexpected frustrations, the result is worth it.
